Hockey World Cup 2023: Indian team finally bares its fangs as they thump Japan 8-0

The Indian hockey team somewhat redeemed themselves by plundering underdogs Japan 8-0 in a classification match of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2023, on Thursday, 26 January. In the game played at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela, the beleaguered home side managed to put their lost to New Zealand in the crossover round behind them.

As many as six players from the Indian team got on the scoresheet. Captain of the side, Harmanpreet Singh, managed to record a brace, as did forward Abhishek.

However, it wasn’t a one-way street for the entire duration of this classification contest of the Hockey World Cup. In fact, the match stood at 0-0 at halftime. It was after the mid-game interval that the Indian team really asserted themselves and left no room for Japan to match them.

India underwhelm at start of Hockey World Cup classification contest

The match started at a very high pace but without a clinical effort from both sides. End-to-end action was witnessed and both teams made dangerous incursions into the opposition’s circle. However, there were too many basic errors and turnovers. The attacks lacked finesse.

In the second quarter, the Indian team started to established themselves as the better side. In fact, as the game got deeper, the Indian team kept improving. Japan too, had their chances though.

India had managed to earn two penalty corners in the first quarter but Harmanpreet, as had been the case in this Hockey World Cup several times, was undone on both occasions by the no. 1 runner. Japan got two PCs of their own in the second quarter, without any success.

The slow tightening of India’s grip on the match, as they started to get closer and closer to scoring, was visible before the half-time. Abhishek and Raj Kumar Pal both came close to scoring in the second quarter.

India open the scoring dam after half-time

After the mid-game break, India took full control. The scoring was started through a brilliant PC variation. In the 33rd minute, Amit Rohidas’s drag-flick was deflected expertly by Mandeep Singh at the far post. This opened the Indian striker’s account in this Hockey World Cup.

Abhishek then got a good pass from the midfield, almost in the middle of the circle, and he took a hard lofted reverse stick shot to double the lead in the 36th minute.

Vivek Sagar Prasad, who was impressive in the midfield today, then latched on to a great opportunity in the 40th minute to score a goal of his own. When Harmanpreet’s drag-flick was stopped, Vivek quickly went to the top of the circle, to Harmanpreet’s right, and smashed the ball into the goal.

Abhishek then found himself again in front of the goal, with few defenders around him, and he again lofted a reverse hit shot into the goal to make it 4-0 in the 44th minute.

Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace in the Hockey World Cup game vs. Japan

Harmanpreet finally got going himself as he deposited his drag-flick in the bottom corner of the near corner of the goal, in the very first minute of the last quarter.

Following this, Japan decided to try and hold onto the possession for longer periods and build a proper attack. This slowed down the pace of the game somewhat. But as the game moved towards its final minutes, Japan’s desperation opened the gates for India again.

Former captain Manpreet Singh also got on the scorecard when he made a shot from the right-side of the circle and it went into the goal, avoiding another Indian player who tried to lay his stick to the shot.

This goal was followed by another one in the same minute, the penultimate of the match. Harmanpreet again managed to avoid the no. 1 runner and get his second strike.

Indian players were getting PCs at will and they got another one in the last minute. Varun Kumar’s shot was stopped but Sukhjeet Singh was present in front of the goal to tap the rebound in. Thus ended India’s domination in this one-sided match of the Hockey World Cup.